Leaving LDS Prepper-ism - Kim and Josh Coffin Pt. 3 | Ep. 1830

When Doctrine Becomes Doctrine Crisis: Understanding Faith Deconstruction in Fundamentalist Mormon Communities

For millions raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the decision to leave represents far more than a simple change of religious affiliation. It means dismantling an entire framework of meaning, identity, family relationships, parenting philosophies, and existential understanding of mortality itself. Recent interviews exploring faith transitions within LDS prepper and fundamentalist communities reveal how deeply institutional belief systems penetrate every aspect of daily life, and what happens when members begin to question the foundational narratives they were taught to defend.

The human cost of this deconstruction process has become an increasingly documented phenomenon in documented historical accounts and personal testimonies, yet it remains largely invisible in mainstream discussions of religious faith transitions. Understanding these experiences matters not only for those directly affected, but for researchers examining how high-control religious groups maintain adherence through psychological and social mechanisms.

The Catalyst: When Official Church Materials Create Cognitive Dissonance

According to Mormon Stories Podcast's extended interview series with Kim and Josh Coffin, the pathway to faith abandonment often begins not with rebellion or scandal, but with sincere engagement with officially approved materials. The Church's Gospel Topics Essays, released between 2013 and 2014, represent the institution's first systematic public acknowledgment of controversial historical claims, including the facts of Joseph Smith's polygamy, the ban on Black priesthood holders, and revisions to foundational narratives about the Book of Mormon's origins.

Josh Coffin described deliberately studying these essays with the intention of strengthening his ability to defend Mormonism to others and retain friends within the faith community. This defensive research became the entry point to what he terms an unexpected "deconstruction process," occurring entirely within approved materials produced by the Church itself.